“There have been many media reports of agents taking away cell phones of immigrant families and U.S. citizens with no rightful reasons and harassing families,” said FIRM spokesperson Kica Matos. “The office of Customs and Border Patrol and DHS Secretary Kelly must step up and be held accountable for these egregious actions.”

To protest these actions, hundreds of people from more than 25 states will rally in front of the CBP office in Washington, DC.

The Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) is the nation’s largest immigrant-rights coalition, with grassroots organizations fighting for immigrant rights at the local, state and federal level. For more information, go to www.fairimmigration.org or follow us on Twitter @Re4mImmigration.

(WASHINGTON)—President Trump’s ‘revised’ travel ban remains as repulsive as his initial plan, chock full of as much bigotry against immigrants, particularly Muslims and all refugees, as the first ban.

“The Trump administration has tried to dress up the revised ban with nicer words but they don’t hide the fact that the refugee program has been suspended, meaning thousands of people desperately seeking to flee war-torn countries, violence and poverty will not be welcome in the United States,” said FIRM spokesperson Kica Matos. “This ban still sends an ugly message to the rest of the world that America’s new ‘normal’ is keeping people out of a country that has always upheld the tradition and symbolism of the Statue of Liberty.”

“Donald Trump today has viciously attacked this tradition with darkness and hate. To be clear, refugee families fleeing war, natural disaster, ethnic cleansing and tyranny will die as a result of this order,” Matos said. “The people Donald Trump sentenced to die today – will do so for no good reasons. Adding to the appalling reality is that this immoral act is being done in the name of symbolic politics because the refugee program itself has always had a form of extreme vetting. Every American of compassion and love should be filled with disgust today.”

“By targeting refugees from six Muslim-majority countries, the Trump administration is walking a very dangerous line on religious freedoms,” Matos added. “Our country was founded by people escaping religious persecution and the freedom to practice your religion is a value held sacred by all Americans.”

“There is no room in America for such extreme hatred,” Matos said. “We will fight to protect our families from hateful policies and we urge all lawmakers to stand up against what is clearly a bigoted piece of policy.”

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The Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) is the nation’s largest immigrant-rights coalition, with grassroots organizations in more than 40 states fighting for immigrant rights at the local, state and federal level. For more information, go to www.fairimmigration.org or follow us on Twitter @Re4mImmigration.

FIRM Leaders and Supporters Rally for DAPA and DACA+ at Supreme Court and Across 20+ Cities

WASHINGTON, DC – On Monday, April 18, the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM), along with thousands of families and advocates will gather at the U.S. Supreme Court to show their support for President Obama’s immigration executive action. The Court will be hearing oral argument on the deferred action initiatives, DAPA and expanded DACA.

Members of Congress, elected officials, and community, civil rights and labor leaders will join families eligible for deferred action and thousands more to send a strong message in defense of the president’s immigration action.

As leaders and supporters call on the justices to lift the block against the initiatives at the steps of the Supreme Court, more than twenty cities will be holding actions to echo their call and urge elected leaders to champion these lawful immigration programs.

WHAT: The Fair Immigration reform Movement “Fight for Families” Rally at the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the president’s immigration initiatives; echo actions in more than 20 cities across the country.

WHEN: April 18, Monday, at 9 AM (U.S. Supreme Court steps)

WHERE: U.S. Supreme Court, 1 First St NE, Washington, DC 20543

For a complete list of the echo actions and their location and time, visit fightforfamilies.org.

WHO: The Fair Immigration reform Movement (FIRM), DAPA/DACA-eligible families, members of Congress, city elected officials, and labor, community and civil rights leaders.